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How to Say "silly" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “silly” is “tonto” — use 'tonto' for playful, harmless foolishness or a joke that isn't meant to be taken seriously..

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tonto

/TON-toh//ˈtonto/

adjectiveA2general
Use 'tonto' for playful, harmless foolishness or a joke that isn't meant to be taken seriously.
A young character standing indoors holding an open umbrella while sunlight streams through a window, illustrating a silly or foolish moment.

Examples

Fue una broma tonta, pero todos nos reímos.

It was a silly joke, but we all laughed.

No seas tonto, claro que puedes hacerlo.

Don't be silly, of course you can do it.

Me siento tonta por haber olvidado las llaves.

I feel foolish for having forgotten the keys.

Matching the Noun

Like many describing words in Spanish, 'tonto' changes to match the person or thing it's describing. Use 'tonto' for masculine things ('el niño tonto') and 'tonta' for feminine things ('la idea tonta'). For groups, use 'tontos' or 'tontas'.

Forgetting to Change the Ending

Mistake: “La chica es tonto.”

Correction: Say 'La chica es tonta.' Describing words almost always need to match the gender (masculine/feminine) of the noun they describe.

bobo

BOH-boh/ˈboβo/

adjectiveA2general
Choose 'bobo' to describe someone who is playfully or innocently foolish, often in a endearing way.
A child giggling while wearing a brightly colored, oversized sock on their head like a hat, illustrating lighthearted silliness.

Examples

Mi hermano es muy bobo; siempre se ríe de sus propios chistes.

My brother is very silly; he always laughs at his own jokes.

No seas tan boba y revisa el contrato antes de firmar.

Don't be so foolish and check the contract before signing.

Fue una idea muy boba salir sin paraguas cuando estaba lloviendo.

It was a very silly idea to go out without an umbrella when it was raining.

Adjective Agreement

'Bobo' must change its ending to match the person it describes: 'bobo' for males and 'boba' for females. Use 'bobos' or 'bobas' for groups.

Confusing Ser and Estar

Mistake: “Using 'estar bobo'.”

Correction: Use 'ser bobo' (to be a silly person in general). You only use 'estar' if someone is temporarily stunned or dazed: 'Estaba bobo después del golpe' (He was dazed after the hit).

infantil

een-fahn-TEEL/in.fanˈtil/

adjectiveB1general
Use 'infantil' when 'silly' means childish or lacking the seriousness expected of an adult.
An illustration of an adult person sitting on the ground, arms crossed, pouting and looking frustrated, symbolizing childish or immature behavior.

Examples

No seas infantil, compórtate como un adulto.

Don't be childish; behave like an adult.

Tuvimos una discusión muy infantil sobre quién usaría el control remoto.

We had a very silly argument about who would use the remote control.

Su excusa era tan infantil que nadie la creyó.

His excuse was so childish that no one believed it.

Using 'Ser' vs. 'Estar'

When describing someone's typical personality, use 'ser' (e.g., 'Él es infantil'). If describing a temporary behavior, you might use 'estar' (e.g., 'Hoy estás muy infantil').

locas

LOH-kahs/ˈlo.kas/

adjectiveA2general
Employ 'locas' (feminine plural) or 'locos' (masculine plural) to describe behavior that is foolishly enthusiastic or 'crazy' about something.
A colorful storybook illustration showing two cartoon women with wild, messy hair and mismatched outfits, dancing erratically and laughing hysterically, symbolizing the state of being irrational.

Examples

Mis hermanas están locas por el chocolate.

My sisters are crazy about chocolate.

Las ideas que sugirieron eran demasiado locas para el proyecto.

The ideas they suggested were too crazy for the project.

¿Por qué tienes esas caras tan locas?

Why do you have those such wild looks on your faces?

Agreement is Key

Since 'locas' describes feminine plural nouns (like 'chicas' or 'ideas'), it must end in '-as' to match the gender and number.

Gender Mismatch

Mistake: “Las chicas son locos.”

Correction: Las chicas son locas. (The adjective must match the feminine noun 'chicas'.)

estúpidas

adjectiveA2general
Use 'estúpidas' (feminine plural) or 'estúpidos' (masculine plural) when 'silly' is closer to 'stupid' and implies a lack of sense or intelligence, though often less harsh than 'stupid'.

Examples

Tus excusas son realmente estúpidas, no te creo.

Your excuses are really stupid, I don't believe you.

Tonto vs. Bobo

The most common confusion is between 'tonto' and 'bobo', both translating to playful silliness. 'Tonto' often refers more to the action or joke itself, while 'bobo' tends to describe the person's character as innocently foolish.

Related Translations

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